A One‐Step Synthesis of Dispersed Bismuth Orthogermanate Powder and its Performance for Alpha‐ and Gamma‐Radiation Detection

Bismuth orthogermanate Bi 4 Ge 3 O 12 (BGO) powder with morphology suitable for production of cheap new generation detectors was obtained in a one‐step room temperature co‐precipitation process. The influence of synthesis parameters on the phase composition and morphology of the product was systematically studied via powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy methods. The obtained BGO powder was shown to have ∼50 % decreased flash time compared to a single crystal in the case of both α‐ and γ‐produced scintillation. For α‐produced scintillation share of the slow luminescent component decreased from 35 to 10 %, too. Such improved spectral‐kinetic characteristics provide better time and space detectors resolution and allows one to reduce radiation exposure for tomography patients.